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Chaos at Premiere: Man Charged for Grabbing Ariana Grande

Published 1 hour ago2 minute read
Precious Eseaye
Precious Eseaye
Chaos at Premiere: Man Charged for Grabbing Ariana Grande

An Australian man, identified as 26-year-old Johnson Wen, is reportedly facing jail time in Singapore after being arrested for charging at pop superstar Ariana Grande on the red carpet of the Wicked Asia premiere. Authorities have charged Wen with being a “public nuisance,” an offense that could lead to a fine equivalent to more than $1,500 and a potential three-month jail sentence for his actions.

The alarming incident occurred on November 13 at the premiere of Wicked: For Good at Universal Studios Singapore. Grande and her Wicked co-star, Oscar nominee Cynthia Erivo, were walking the red carpet when Wen abruptly jumped over a divider and sprinted directly toward Grande. Footage from the event shows Wen wrapping an arm around Grande’s neck and jumping up and down, causing the singer to appear visibly terrified.

Cynthia Erivo swiftly intervened, forcefully prying Wen off her co-star. Even as security personnel pulled him away, Wen clung to Grande’s shoulder until the very last moment. Following the struggle, Erivo and fellow Wicked star Michelle Yeoh were seen comforting a shaken-looking Grande.

The incident quickly sparked outrage among fans, who soon discovered that Wen has a history of similar “pranks” involving famous individuals. He had previously rushed unauthorized onto stages during performances by The Weeknd and The Chainsmokers. Moreover, he was arrested over the summer for a similar act involving Katy Perry, during which he also touched her without consent. Wicked actress Marissa Bode directly criticized Wen in a TikTok video, stating, “You made somebody feel incredibly unsafe, but just — no remorse. You’re a bad person.”

Wen himself reportedly boasted about the incident and his subsequent arrest on Instagram. As of press time, Ariana Grande has not publicly addressed the incident itself. However, she did share photos on Instagram of herself and her castmates at the Singapore event, accompanied by the simple caption, “thank you, Singapore we love you.”

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